Press release

USA have little trouble beating Argentina

Logan Tom topscored USA with 14 points in the victory over Argentina on Friday at Okayama

Okayama, Japan, November 11, 2011 – USA overcame Argentina 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-19) in their sixth match of the FIVB World Cup at Momotaro Arena in Okayama on Friday.

Foluke Akinradewo collected the Most Impressive Player award after scoring 13 points. Logan Tom top-scored for the Americans with 14 points, while Destinee Hooker also had 13 points. The top scorer for Argentina was Leticia Boscacci with eight points. USA outblocked Argentina 9-1 and outserved them 3-0.

The early stages were pretty close and the scores were level at 4-4 when Lucia Fresco sent a serve long that put USA in the lead for good. Foluke Akinradewo came up with a tipover and block on Maria Jimena Nizetich as USA stretched their lead. After Destinee Hooker had delivered a rocket and Fresco put the ball into the net, making the score 13-6, Argentina coach Horacio Bastit called a timeout. But USA continued to pull away. Another big blow by Hooker and a tipover by Jordan Larson saw Argentina fall 20-8 behind and Bastit called his players off court again. Akinradewo blocked Leticia Boscacci to bring up setpoint and Florencia Natasha netted a serve to put the Americans 1-0 up.

Larson continued to hit big in the second set as USA moved into an 8-4 lead at the first technical timeout, but both teams were prone to errors in the second phase. Another netted serve – by Busquets – put the Americans 10-5 up and they stretched that lead to six points at the second TTO. Argentina came up with two good blocks in the final phase, but another error brought up setpoint. Hooker duly converted to put USA 2-0 up.

The third set was closer. Hooker started off hot with two massive kills and a great block on Antonella Bortolozzi, but Busquets responded as Argentina closed to within one point at 7-6 and three at 10-7. But USA pulled away from the halfway point on the back of some Argentine errors. Fresco tried to pull her team back into the match with a pair of excellent spikes, but it was too big a mountain to climb for the Argentine team. When Cynthia Barboza blocked Boscacci, she earned matchpoint and a clever long push shot by Alisha Glass ended the match.